Kitchen Storage Mistakes

The kitchen is the heart of the house and deserves a renovation. A remodeled kitchen looks stunning, makes you feel much better about your house, and upgrades your home’s value in the real estate market. But many people tend to ignore one of the most essential facets, i.e., kitchen storage, and end up making major kitchen storage mistakes!

Only when you start using your kitchen post its renovation will you realize that there is no space to store so many essential things and ultimately keep them outside the kitchen. So what is the entire point of having a kitchen if all your stuff is going out?

Having a beautiful and alluring kitchen is essential, but having a functional and efficient kitchen is paramount. When everything is placed rightly in the kitchen, you will end up saving a lot of cooking and cleaning time and energy. And with even the smallest kitchen storage mistakes, everything in that prep space can become untidy and inefficient.

So here are the most prevalent kitchen storage mistakes that you need to avoid at all costs!

Buying More, Throwing Less

Once in a while, everyone feels like buying new things for their kitchen. If not appliances, they may go for smaller items such as containers, organizers, etc. But before you start to splurge, you need to pause and purge. You may be walking at the mall or near a store, and a sale on containers catch your eye. But do you need them? That is the primary question.

Many people make the mistake of buying before decluttering their kitchens, which leads to a lot of mess. So never buy any organizer without decluttering your fridge, shelves, cabinets, and countertop. Why? Because it does not make sense to purchase storage materials for items that do not belong in the kitchen anymore.

Once you begin to declutter, you will find more room and less need for containers, and also focus quickly on what must stay and what serves its purpose. Buying more and throwing less merely will make you stock up more and more and create litter in the kitchen.

Using Unnecessarily Large Containers

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Clearing the clutter made by things that no longer serve their purpose in the kitchen is an excellent start to save up some space. But one thing people tend to forget is that the containers remain. And even though they may look cohesive and organized, some boxes end up taking more space than they should or deserve.

It is common for people to use large containers to store food items and grains on the kitchen shelves. But it is the little details that you must focus on to make your kitchen more efficient, such as using appropriate sized containers.

So when you are buying containers or organizers, opt for the ones that are actually functional and aptly sized for the item you are planning to keep in it, instead of going for containers that look appealing and orderly. Unnecessarily using large containers is a big no-no. And eliminating them from your kitchen can give you great kitchen storage options!

Storing Old Items

Another of the most common kitchen storage mistakes people make is storing old items in the kitchen. What is the point in keeping things that you barely or no longer use? You must avoid the urge to keep such items intact, thinking it will someday be of use because it restricts you from incorporating new and better things in your kitchen.

Seasonal items are always better stored somewhere else in the house. Holiday related elements of your kitchen can be kept in your basement or some other cabinet outside the kitchen that you use as extra storage space. You can keep them in labeled bins or boxes for easier access. But always remember that organizing is more important than styling, so keep your priorities straight!

Organizing Based on Size

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Another mistake you always make is organizing your kitchen items based on their size and where they look good, instead of focusing on their functionality. You need to think about the item’s location based on their usage.

Appliances and fixtures in the kitchen are the best placed in their functional zones, which will give you easier access and not make you run around the entire kitchen while the soup is boiling off the pot! A container head may look good hanging from the wall near the sink, but is it efficient when you are trying to cook something? Think about it.

Organizing your kitchen gears, utensils, and ingredients per their functional zones solves many storage problems in the kitchen. For example, if you cook regularly, ensure that you place all the spices, you regularly use in cabinets close to the stove and near your range.

Continuing to Use Reusable Containers

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We may deny this, but all of us have a habit of storing plastic containers we have received with the food items. All those plastic boxes our Chinese food has been served in, those glass bottles with milkshakes, and the list goes on. Storing these items instead of discarding them is eco-friendly but not kitchen-friendly.

These containers look cute and useful too, but actually, they are just taking up storage space in your kitchen without you realizing it! When you receive these containers, you need to think realistically about their usage. If you wish to do a good deed, give these containers to someone else in need and implement smart kitchen storage ideas.

Another culprit that stops you from gaining more space in your kitchen is reusable and recyclable cloth bags. Many people tend to stock up on these, thinking they will use them the next time, but end up with a new one every time they are out shopping. So keep a check on the amount of bags you have at home, and dispose of any extras.